In the Middle of Somewhere

Daniel Mulligan is tough, snarky, and tattooed, hiding his self-consciousness behind sarcasm. Daniel has never fit in - not at home in Philadelphia with his auto mechanic father and brothers, and not at school where his Ivy League classmates looked down on him. Now, Daniel's relieved to have a job at a small college in Holiday, Northern Michigan, but he's a city boy through and through, and it's clear that this small town is one more place he won't fit in.

Wolfsong

Ox was 23 when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his blood red eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces. It's been three years since that fateful day and the boy is back. Except now he's a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Out of Nowhere: Middle of Somewhere, Book 2

The only thing in Colin Mulligan's life that makes sense is taking cars apart and putting them back together. In the auto shop where he works with his father and brothers, he tries to get through the day without having a panic attack or flying into a rage. Drinking helps. So does running and lifting weights until he can hardly stand. But none of it can change the fact that he's gay, a secret he has kept from everyone.

How to Be a Normal Person

Gustavo Tiberius is not normal. He knows this. Everyone in his small town of Abby, Oregon, knows this. He reads encyclopedias every night before bed. He has a pet ferret called Harry S. Truman. He owns a video rental store that no one goes to. His closest friends are a lady named Lottie with drag queen hair and a trio of elderly Vespa riders known as the We Three Queens.

Family of Lies: Sebastian

Sebastian Orwell did the only thing a smart wizard could do when he stumbled upon the wounded Crown Prince: He healed him and dumped him in a tavern where he could continue not being Sebastian's problem. Unfortunately, the prince isn't content with being alive, and he hunts Sebastian down to thank him personally. Not only is Sebastian stuck with the prince's unwanted affections, but he's also confronted by growing evidence linking the assassination attempt to someone from his father's past.

Off Campus: Bend or Break, Book 1

With his father's Ponzi scheme assets frozen, Tom Worthington believes finishing college is impossible unless he can pay his own way. After months of sleeping in his car and gypsy cabbing for cash, he's ready to do just that. But his new older-student housing comes with an unapologetically gay roommate. Tom doesn't ask why Reese Anders has been separated from the rest of the student population. He's just happy to be sleeping in a bed.

Sacrati

As an elite Sacrati fighter in the mighty Torian military, Theos is blessed with a city full of women who want to bear his children, and a barracks full of men proud to fight at his side and share his bed. He has everything he needs - until he captures Finnvid on a raid. Finnvid is on a secret mission to prevent the Torian invasion of his homeland Elkat. Being enslaved by Torian soldiers wasn't in his plans. Neither is his horrified fascination with the casual promiscuity of the Sacrati warriors. Men should not lie with other men - and he should not be so intrigued when they do.

Counterpoint: Song of the Fallen, Book 1

Ayden's life has long been guided by two emotions: love for his sister, and hatred of all things human. When he's captured in battle, he is enslaved in the service of a human prince, Freyrik Farr. Freyrik's always known elves to be beautiful and dangerous, but never has one affected him as deeply as Ayden. Teetering on a dagger's edge between duty and high treason, Freyrik discovers that some choices can change a life, and some an entire world.

The Lion and the Crow

Sir Christian Brandon was raised in a household where he was hated for his unusual beauty and for his parentage. Being smaller than his six brutish half-brothers, he learned to survive by using his wits and his gift for strategy, earning him the nickname the Crow.

First and First: Five Boroughs, Book 3

Caleb Stone was raised on the Upper East Side, where wealth and lineage reign and "alternative lifestyles" are hidden. It took him years to come out to his family, but he's still stuck in the stranglehold of their expectations. Caleb knows he has to build his confidence and shake things up, but he doesn't know how, until he meets Oliver Buckley.

Professional Distance: Thorne and Dash, Book 1

Thornwell Shipton is wealthy, uptight, closeted, and an incurable workaholic. A tragic love affair left him terrified of relationships, so he tells himself sex is better scheduled and paid for. Riley Dashwood is young, easy-going, and comfortable in his own skin. He's a passionate baker and an aspiring chef, working as an escort to save up for culinary school. When Thorne hires Dash, it's lust at first sight. After a few scorching nights together, both men start to wonder if what's between them is more than physical.

Collide

At 10 years old, Noah Jameson and Cooper Bradshaw collided midair when they dove for the same football. For three years they were inseparable...until one day when Noah and his parents disappeared in the middle of the night. Noah and Cooper never knew what happened to each other. Now, 17 years later, after finding his boyfriend in bed with another man, Noah returns to Blackcreek looking for a fresh start. And damned if he doesn't find his old friend grew up to be as sexy as sin.

Fish Stick Fridays

Deacon Reid was born bad to the bone with no intention of changing. A lifetime of law-bending and living on the edge suits him just fine, until his baby sister dies and he finds himself raising her little girl. Staring down a family history of bad decisions and reaped consequences, Deacon cashes in everything he owns, purchases an auto shop in Half Moon Bay, and takes his niece, Zig, far away from the drug dens and murderous streets they grew up on.

The Lightning-Struck Heart

Once upon a time, in an alleyway in the slums of the City of Lockes, a young and somewhat lonely boy named Sam Haversford turns a group of teenage douchebags into stone completely by accident. Of course, this catches the attention of a higher power, and Sam's pulled from the only world he knows to become an apprentice to the king's wizard, Morgan of Shadows.

HIM

Jamie Canning has never been able to figure out how he lost his closest friend. Four years ago, his tattooed, wisecracking, rule-breaking roommate cut him off without an explanation. So what if things got a little weird on the last night of hockey camp the summer they were 18? It was just a little drunken foolishness. Nobody died.

The Persistence of Memory: Mnevermind Trilogy, Book 1

While forgetting your problems won't solve them, it does seem like it would make life a heck of a lot easier. Daniel thought so once. Now he knows better. He and Big Dan have always been close, which makes it all the more difficult to break the daily news: the last five years were nothing like his father remembers.

Hot Head

Since 9/11, Brooklyn firefighter Griff Muir has wrestled with impossible feelings for his best friend and partner at Ladder 181, Dante Anastagio. Unfortunately, Dante is strictly a ladies’ man, and the FDNY isn’t exactly gay-friendly. For ten years, Griff has hidden his heart in a half-life of public heroics and private anguish. Griff’s caution and Dante’s cockiness make them an unbeatable team. To protect his buddy, there’s nothing Griff wouldn’t do… until a nearly bankrupt Dante proposes the worst possible solution: HotHead.com, a gay porn website where uniformed hunks get down and dirty.

Stay

Wes Jensen just lost the sister who raised him, and gained custody of his niece. The last thing he needs to add to his full plate is dealing with Braden Roth, the one-night-stand who continues to try to push his way into Wes' life. He has a kid to raise now, and Wes isn't great at getting close anyway. As their lives intertwine more and more, Wes discovers Braden isn't as shallow as he thought. But after everything Wes lost in his life, he isn't sure he can risk his heart, and truly want Braden to stay.

How to Howl at the Moon: Howl at the Moon, Book 1

Sheriff Lance Beaufort is not going to let trouble into his town, no sir. Tucked away in the California mountains, Mad Creek has secrets to keep, like the fact that half the town consists of "quickened" - dogs who have gained the ability to become human. Descended on both sides from Border Collies, Lance is as alert a guardian as they come

Sunset Park

Raymond has to get his act together and find a place of his own. But when out-and-proud David Butler offers to be his roommate, Raymond agrees for reasons other than needing a place to crash. David is Raymond's opposite in almost every way - he's Connecticut prim and proper while Raymond is a sarcastic longshoreman from Queens - but their friendship is solid. Their closeness surprises everyone as does their not-so-playful flirtation, since Raymond has always kept his bi-curious side a secret.

Hexbreaker: Hexworld, Book 1

New York copper Tom Halloran is a man with a past. If anyone finds out he once ran with the notorious O'Connell tunnel gang, he'll spend the rest of his life doing hard time behind bars. But Tom's secret is threatened when a horrible murder on his beat seems to have been caused by the same ancient magic that killed his gang. Cat shifter Cicero is determined to investigate the disappearance of one friend and the death of another, even though no one else believes the cases are connected.

Choices: Golden Collar, Book 1

Born and raised a gypsy in the late 11th century, Teman values freedom over everything. He and his best friend, Jasim, are thieves for hire - until one night when they're caught and their precious freedom is revoked. Given the choice between the dungeons or palace pleasure slavery, they become slaves, but Teman vows to escape someday.

So into You: The PI Guys, Book 2

Screenwriter Noah Ashley has a few four-letter words for his agent when she suggests he improve his script by shadowing a PI. Still, because he's an artist dedicated to his craft and she knows where the bodies are buried, he agrees. Then he spends a little time with the gorgeous PI, and suddenly it seems like a really good plan. The PI doesn't seem to entirely love the idea, but Noah has never been afraid to go after what he wants.

Bear, Otter, and the Kid

Three years ago, Bear McKenna’s mother took off for parts unknown with her new boyfriend, leaving Bear to raise his six-year-old brother Tyson, aka the Kid. Somehow they’ve muddled through, but since he’s totally devoted to the Kid, Bear isn’t actually doing much living. With a few exceptions, he’s retreated from the world, and he’s mostly okay with that - until Otter comes home. Otter is Bear’s best friend’s older brother, and as they’ve done for their whole lives, Bear and Otter crash and collide in ways neither expect.

Publisher's Summary

Charming rascal Tristan Northwood seems to have it all: an ancient name, a noble inheritance, a lovely wife, and a son he adores. Women love him, men admire him, and it seems there is nothing he can’t do, whether it’s seducing a society wife or winning a carriage race. Little does society suspect that the name means nothing to him, the fortune is in his father’s controlling hands, and he has no interest in his wife except a very distant friendship. Society bores him, and he takes dares because he only feels alive when he’s dancing on the edge...until his wife’s brother comes home from the wars.

Decorated war hero Major Charles Mountjoy jerks Tris out of his despair by inspiring feelings of passion Tris had never suspected himself capable of. Almost as terrifying as those feelings for Charles are the signs Charles might return his affection - or, even worse, that Charles sees the man Tristan has been trying so valiantly to hide from the world.

In genre it reminds me a lot of the late Barbara Cartland books, though that should not be set as a guideline for the story.

Which character – as performed by Paul Morey – was your favorite?

Gibson, I loved his accent. In general Paul Morey was excellent at performing voices, as they only changed slightly in tone, instead dialect and accent were used to describe the individual characters.

Any additional comments?

The story had a great diversity among the characters, Charlotte and Tristan were probably those with the best descriptions. The initial description of Tristan's life, not only as a child but also leading up to his marriage quickly stirred my sympathy. The changes that transpire for him through his life are well described and I love the initially slow moving romance.

Charlotte was a delight to listen to, though I often disagreed with her decisions she has a calm way of looking at things. During the first quarter of the book I often found myself smiling at her odd inputs. I might have continued to do that through the rest of the book, but when you do it all the time you stop noticing.

All the main characters had pretty well-developed backgrounds as you moved on through the story.

The stigma of sodomy at the time is handled very well in the book, both how society views it and how the protagonist deals with it.

The language is also generally kept in the right language, very few times is new slang used instead of the more proper form of speaking. It does not make the book hard to understand in any way, but it creates the atmosphere of that time. Only slips I noticed was during the sex scenes, which there weren't too many of. There was more focus on the romance and what it meant to their lives than the sexual part, which I found very refreshing from a lot of gay romance audiobooks.

I am a fan of Rowan Speedwell because she is able to present psychological problems in her characters very realistically.I read this book before listening to it, Paul Morey was able to add to the story via character presentation.Definitely recommended. I also recommend "Finding Zach" with the same author/narrator.

Would you consider the audio edition of Kindred Hearts to be better than the print version?

I only have the audio version to go by, which was fantastic!

What did you like best about this story?

The accuracy of the history, and the details of the time.

Which character – as performed by Paul Morey – was your favorite?

Tristan

Who was the most memorable character of Kindred Hearts and why?

Tristan. He's very insecure and immature at the start, but he grows so much throughout the story.

Any additional comments?

Tristan Northwood is a deviant by the standards of his time. He drinks like a fish, parties like a rock star, takes any dare that is thrown his way and sleeps with any woman that blinks in his direction. It’s all just a façade that he presents as his public persona. He lost his mother and baby sister when he was just a boy, and he’s felt his father’s disdain for him every day since. Now a grown man, his father continues to control him as he is the one that holds the purse strings.

An arranged marriage is set as the Baron no longer wants his son and only heir ramshackling his way across the countryside. Charlotte Mountjoy and Tristan are married and being their otherwise unconventional marriage as mere strangers. Over the next several years though they develop a bond that is unwavering, becoming best friends and parents to a little boy with another child on the way. But Tris is even more restless all these years later. Until Lottie’s twin brother Charles comes for a visit.

Tris is attracted to Charles from the start, which only adds to his uncertainty as of late. He’s always had an odd attraction to the same sex, but never acted on it due to the negative and damning effects of homosexuality at the time. Charles as well hides his attraction to Tris, until he learns that the attraction is mutual. But Tristan’s self loathing and dangerous plans threaten to destroy any chance these two would have at happiness.

I loved the history that was woven into the story. From the costumes of the period down to Napoleon and the war. The book was set in the late 1800’s, a time in which homosexuality was considered sodomy and punishable by incarceration, possibly death. It was interesting how Speedwell painted this aspect of the storyline without weighing down the overall story. I was fascinated as I listened to Tristan’s exploits and followed him as he went from insecure and immature to a strong, fierce and loyal doctor. Charles and Lottie play a huge role in his growth throughout the story. They both love him unconditionally, but it’s Charles that is IN love with him, and it’s that love that gives Tris the strength to become the man he is at the end.

This book was narrated by Paul Morey, and Morey is a fantastic story teller. You can hear the emotions in his voice from changes in octave to slight nuances within the different characters. He expertly nails the sensuality and passion of the more intimate scenes between Charles and Tris as well. I know they say an audio book is a different experience from reading the story, but I would recommend this book regardless of the final delivery.

I liked the concept of Kindred hearts, it is really cool how the story turned out. I thought the author dragged the story on a little too long. I liked the build up to revelation, but after that it was just skating to reach the end.

Would you recommend Kindred Hearts to your friends? Why or why not?

Yes, it still a good read, and a different take on Historical M/M romance.

What does Paul Morey bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

I love Paul Morey's narration, he always brings the characters to life for me, and he is able to read the sexual scene without over exaggeration.

Would you be willing to try another book from Rowan Speedwell? Why or why not?

Perhaps-- depends on whether I'm interested in the topic or not.

What three words best describe Paul Morey’s performance?

god awful pronunciation

Any additional comments?

While in general, I like Paul Morey's voice & pacing, the pronunciation mistakes were so bad as to become ridiculous and distracting. Goethe, for instance, is not pronounced "go-eth." And having not one, but two characters supposedly fluent in German, actually making that fluency a part of the plot, means, probably, that they'd get that name correct.

That said, the story was interesting, in a regency m/m romance sort of way. Predictable as anything, but nice brain candy.

The performance, aside from the pronunciation errors, was enjoyable as well. Morey has a nice voice, calm and soothing. His character voices keep the story entertaining, and the characters are clearly distinguishable from one another and the narrative voice. Seriously, a little research could've made this performance much, much better. However, the place names, historical and literary names, French & German pronunciations.... all suck. If you don't mind that, go for it. It bugs the snot outta me, personally.

War, History, Aristocracy, Victorian moral values AND a gay love story? What more can you ask for? If I would have had time, I would have listened to it all in one sitting. All of the characters are relatable, well written and interesting in their own ways. The story line is easy to follow and entertaining and the narration couldn't be better.

I really enjoyed this story. Tristan and Charles are a great couple. The story is mostly about Tristan's journey as a man from "self hatred" to a "man of worth". He credits Charles with his transformation, but it was mostly him. The backdrop for this England during the war with Napoleon. The historical aspects are woven in beautifully. Paul Morey does a great job as usually and he really drew me into this romance. The female minor character is delightful, but probably a little unrealistic. She is married to Tristan and encourages his relationship with Charles. Great for the story, but . . . Overall, definitely worth a credit.

First of all let me say I loved Rowan Speedwell's other audiobook Finding Zach it was such a refreshing change from most of the other male/male fiction out there. So it was with high hopes I started Kindred Harts. the good thing is Speedwell still manages to draw a complex main person who is dealing with real issues. the bad news is I just could not find myself sympathizing or even empathizing with anyone in this book. I mean don't we all wish we had Tristan's issues he is smart good looking seems to have a matural ability in almost every field he enters and oh yes he is rich too. The idea that the love of his life just falls into his lap was just too much. By all accounts Tristan is a likeable guy who is just very lonely. I found myself asking if he is liked by almost everyone why is Charles the first person to show him kindness. it was this theme along with a contrived plot that made me almost stop listening several times.

I will give Speedwell's work another try because of her first triuph but this book was a great let down for me.

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

Let me begin my review by saying that I had actually read this book when it first came out on my kindle and had given it 4 stars so I thought it would actually be fun to listen to it since I was waiting for the next installment in a couple different series and just needed a filler. To say that I was disappointed was an understatement. First of all, the narrator REALLY got under my skin. The characters in this book were mostly English but not one of them had an English accent although a very poor Scottish brogue was thrown in there every once in a while. Second, there were a few times that as the narrator changed characters he never changed voices or if he went from a male character to a female, his voice actually became deeper. Also, I'm not really sure if I just didn't remember the story as being so trite or if it was just hearing it instead of reading it and kind of narrating in my head but I really just wanted to tell Tristan to stop being such a whiner and grow up. Not to mention Charlotte was the most out of touch person on the planet. So I am sorry to say that I actually had to force myself to finish this book and was really sorry to have wasted a credit on it especially since it went on sale for $6 after I purchased it.

Firstly I must state strongly that I love Paul Morey's readings of other books I've got and I wish he'd been used for the 3rd volume of "Matter of Time" but that's another review!

I loved the story line of this book but oh how I wish they'd used an english reader or at least taken some time to check pronunciations - there are a large number of "odd" pronunciations - some of which come up time and again.